Week 1d: Who Do We Disciple?
New Believers: New believers must be rooted and grounded in their newfound faith, being taught right away that we pray not just when things go wrong, but because we are in a relationship with the living God. We read His Bible because it feeds our soul. These foundation concepts must be clearly communicated and modeled to a new believer.
Undiscipled Believers: These are those who are unaffiliated with any congregation, and may be roaming from one group to another, looking for new nuggets of truth. The undiscipled believer is the dysfunctional member of the Body of Messiah, and these people must be brought to maturity through discipleship in order to become spiritual functional. Undiscipled believers should by no means be placed in positions of service or leadership until they have been properly discipled. Beware of depending on transfer-growth, assuming the people who join your community from other congregations have already been discipled. Time spent in discipleship with these people is valuable, for through it they will grow to become rooted and grounded in their faith, developing into functional members of your community.
Mature Believers: No one should be “grandfathered” in to your community. Mature believers joining your community must also be discipled in your values as a congregation so that they will be able to disciple others in these values as well. You must have a normalized system of disciple-making so that your community as a whole shares the same values and are able to make disciples of others. A healthy congregation is focused on making contacts who, in time, become lifelong disciples of Yeshua.
Who We Do Not Disciple?
Unbelievers: Some people are so surprised to find an interested unbeliever that they do not know what to do with them, and may try to disciple them without first leading them to faith. Every person must confess personal faith in Yeshua before they can become His disciple (Matthew 7:22-23; Romans 10:9-10). Do not put the cart before the horse.
Affiliated Believers: If a member or committed attendee from another congregation approaches you asking to be discipled, that means that they want to join your congregation. Our testimony in the community is important to us and we do not want to be accused of sheep stealing. Therefore, if they truly want to be a part of your community, they need to go back to their community and ask to be released with the blessing of their pastor.
When Do We Make Disciples?
New Believers – Immediately: Do not wait for a new believer to show interest before starting discipleship with them. Begin meeting with them right away, in order to establish and encourage them in their new faith, building the foundation for a lifetime of growth.
Undiscipled Believers – Upon Commitment: When you try to disciple a person who is not willing to commit to the community’s values, you will waste your time teaching someone who doesn’t care. Make certain the undisciplined believer has a commitment to the community before beginning discipleship with them.
Mature Believers – Who “buy-in” to the Discipleship Process: Many mature believers are mature not because they went through a standardized discipleship ministry, but because they have grown as they have under the teaching of the Word over the years. Regardless of maturity, a person cannot make disciples simply on the basis of wonderful teaching that they have heard. They must be equipped with a method for making disciples. Going through a structured discipleship ministry themselves will prepare them with what they need in order to disciple others. Do not start discipleship with them, however, until they have “bought-in” to the importance of the discipleship ministry in your congregation, and with the understanding that they will be discipling others as a result.
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